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BioPark sea turtle dies, aquarium says she was believed to be 75
Mimi, a beloved loggerhead sea turtle at the BioPark Aquarium died, the aquarium announced Monday.
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The ABQ BioPark Aquarium is mourning the loss of Mimi, a loggerhead sea turtle, who died on Thursday.
Her age is unknown, but she was believed to be about 75 years old.
“Mimi was shy and liked to keep to herself, though would sometimes be spotted interacting with the divers,” said Dr. Carol Bradford, BioPark senior veterinarian. “She also enjoyed neck scratches.”
Loggerhead turtles are known for a large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles that enable them to prey on hard-shelled prey, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Mimi was rescued by the New England Aquarium and treated for cold shock. She was missing an eye when she came to BioPark in 1997.
The aquarium said veterinarians were watching Mimi closely this season because she recently refused to eat.
“This behavior is normal during a seasonal period when sea turtles might produce eggs,” the aquarium said. “If a sea turtle is unable to return to the beach where they hatched, they typically will just reabsorb the follicles that don’t become eggs, and their appetite returns.
“However, this season, this natural process did not happen normally, and Mimi continued to refuse to eat.”
BioPark said last week that Mimi underwent surgery to remove the follicles.
“It was clear that Mimi was not going to recover, so the animal care team and veterinary staff made the difficult decision to euthanize her while she was still under anesthesia,” BioPark said.
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Bradford said the aquarium is now down to one sea turtle, a hawksbill named Jimmy who “is very social.”
